Sermon and Worship Resources

Showing 426 to 450 of 1285 results

426. SADDLE MAKER

Gen. 31:22-55; Lev. 15:9

Illustration

Stephen Stewart

... find them." Leviticus 15:9 - "And any saddle on which he who has the discharge rides shall be unclean." In the ancient world, asses were the oldest riding animals, the camel being used, at least in the earliest times, primarily as burden-bearers. When riding asses, a doubled piece of cloth, fastened by a girth, served as the saddle. As the use of camels for riding developed, the type of saddle used for them was a kind of basket, with a cover and curtains, much as we see in India today for transportation by ...

427. Marriage is Forever

Matthew 5:31-32, Matthew 19:1-12

Sermon

Bill Bouknight

... never in God's original plans. It was a later invention of sinful humanity. In Matthew's gospel, Jesus condemns all divorce, except for unchastity. Unchastity referred to a woman's having been sexually active before marriage or unfaithful afterward. Note the double standard of the First Century. The man was not held to that same strict standard. In the Mark and Luke versions of Jesus' statement, not even unchastity is given as an exception. All divorce is condemned. That complete condemnation is probably ...

428. A Prophet in a Panic

1 Kings 19:9-18

Sermon

Bill Bouknight

... Even big people are attacked by the demons of anxiety, panic, and depression. Writing recently in Time magazine, Dr. Robert Wright noted that 15 percent of Americans have had a clinical anxiety disorder. In some industrialized societies, the rates of depression have been doubling roughly every ten years. For some persons, this condition can be blamed on a chemical imbalance or a childhood trauma. But the majority of us suffer from a different malady. In the pursuit of more things, we work 60-hour-plus work ...

429. God Makes The First Move

John 6:25-59

Sermon

Bill Bouknight

... around a little." Tommy said that he reached the door and glanced back over his shoulder; he noticed that his friend was praying at the altar and lighting a candle. Tommy said, "I thought about that for a few moments. Then, since I couldn't take any chances, I doubled back and blew out his candle." Isn't it strange how we often don't want anybody to get ahead of us spiritually? The most accurate reason you are here, I believe, is because of grace. You are responding to God's grace. For some of you, it's ...

430. The Seeds of Social Conflict

Genesis 4:1-26

Sermon

Bill Bouknight

... put a mark on him. What that mark was, we do not know. But remember, the mark was not part of his punishment. It was a mark of grace, protecting Cain from harm and serving as a message that God had not forsaken him. The story of Cain is a double tragedy. The first tragedy was in murdering his brother. The second tragedy was that he could not bring himself to say to God, “I have done wrong. I repent and throw myself upon your mercy.” The God I know would have found a way for him to come home again ...

431. Lessons from a Shrewd Crook

Luke 16:1-15

Sermon

Bill Bouknight

... as the pagans are. We have allowed the world to persuade us that luxuries are necessities. And let me ask another question: If your friend who knows so much about stocks informs you today of a really hot tip that is virtually guaranteed to double your investment, wouldn't you scramble around and come up with some money? I suspect you would. When will we ever become that eager to invest in kingdom currency? What percentage of your financial portfolio is in kingdom currency? Are you or your company investing ...

432. Reviving Our Moral Responsibility

2 Chronicles 36:15-23

Sermon

Donald Macleod

... . And little wonder, someone might very well say. Here is an Old Testament book which in 65 chapters attempts an accounting of a confused and confusing mishmash of the careers of ancient Jewish kings, priests and military figures with all their intrigues, double-dealings, moral escapades and tribal warfare against a wide backdrop of God’s judgments and blessings. This leads us to the final verses of the last chapter of 2 Chronicles (36:11-23). Here, yet another king, Zedekiah - a mere boy of twenty ...

433. Tearing the Roof Off

Mark 2:1-12

Illustration

Larry Powell

... or not but in order that the scribes might know that Jesus possessed the authority, he did something more. Turning to the paralytic, he said, "Rise, take up your pallet and go home." To their astonishment, the paralytic did just that. He had received a double portion inasmuch as his sins had been forgiven and he had been physically healed. Additionally, the scribes had something to think about. I want to say a word about the persistent souls who tore the roof off the house. Their determination is to be ...

434. The Ultimate Christmas Gift

Psalm 85:1-13, Ephesians 2:11-22

Sermon

Erskine White

... on a social scale. Earlier in this sermon, for example, mention was made of creating a lasting peace by negotiating with the adversary’s interests in mind as much as one’s own. Political theorists relate such an approach to what they call "double loop learning;" it represents a secularized approximation of a Christian principle. (See, for example, Stanley Harakas, "The N.C.C.B. Pastoral Letter, The Challenge of Peace: An Eastern Orthodox Response," in Peace in a Nuclear Age, Charles Reid, ed., Catholic ...

435. The Wallenda Factor

Illustration

C. W. Bess

... an audience of thousands in San Juan, Puerto Rico. What happened? His widow explained that Karl had never been one to know fear. Self-confidence marked his style until he started worrying. Little details of safety preoccupied his mind. He checked and double-checked the tightrope to make certain that everything was secure. This was a different Karl. For the first time, instead of putting his energies into walking the wire, he concentrated on not falling. From then on Wallenda became an accident just waiting ...

436. Comfort

Isaiah 40:1-31

Sermon

Frederick C. Edwards

... and captivity as the punishing hand of God for Israel’s unfaithfulness. To those the prophet said, "Speak tenderly to Jerusalem and cry to her that her warfare is ended, that her iniquity is pardoned, that she has received from the Lord’s hand double for all her sins" (Isaiah 40:2). Repentance for what one has done is a necessary factor of the biblical equation of forgiveness, but it needs to be worked to conclusion. One cannot live with guilt without end. Parents and children, husbands and wives ...

437. God’s Great Promise To Sarah!

Genesis 17:1-27

Sermon

Durwood L. Buchheim

... the oldest in her family, worked outside the house about as much as inside. Consequently her life was tough and full of hard work. There were very few moments in her life when she wasn’t busy at something. (In certain areas of our world women still work double, or even triple the hours of men.) My mother was boxed into not just a Martha role but also the manly role. She was not just responsible for housekeeping and hospitality but had to fill in wherever help was needed. And most of us assumed that was ...

438. All We Like Sheep Have Gone Astray

Isaiah 52:13--53:12

Sermon

Durwood L. Buchheim

... the stirring words of hope from the prophet (or prophets) Isaiah: Comfort, O comfort my people, says your God. Speak tenderly to Jerusalem, and cry to her that she has served her term, that her penalty is paid, that she has received from the Lord’s hand double for all her sins. (40:1-2) In the time of great stress and evil, the suffering ones are reminded that God’s word remains powerful and dependable. The promises and purposes of God will not be defeated. But you, Israel, my servant, Jacob, whom I ...

439. Easter: The Festival Of Joy

Isaiah 25:1-12

Sermon

Durwood L. Buchheim

... on the earth, and all three billion must be dead on schedule, within this lifetime. The vast majority, involving something over 50 million of us each year, takes place in relative secrecy ... Less than half a century from now, our replacements will have more than doubled the numbers. It is hard to see how we can continue to keep the secret, with such multitudes doing the dying.2 Death is not some kind of flaw which we are ultimately going to repair via heart transplants, or get around via the quick-freeze ...

440. A Reed Who Became a Rock

John 1:35-42

Sermon

R. Blaine Detrick

... disciple, whom we shall think about in the next chapter. Concerning Peter, let us first note several interesting details that we ought to remember about him. Every time the Bible lists the twelve apostles, Peter is named first - always, without exception. (Take time to double-check this for yourself: Matthew 10; Mark 3; Luke 6; Acts 1.) This doesn’t mean, necessarily, that Peter was the most important. Nor does it mean that he was the first one who was called. Indeed, it was his own brother, Andrew, who ...

441. A Man With a Scalpel and a Pen

Acts 16:6-10

Sermon

R. Blaine Detrick

... but in secular history, as well. Luke - with the trained, scientific mind of a doctor - was precise and exact. When he said that something happened in a certain year, you could depend on it - it happened in that year. Luke was an author who checked and double-checked his facts, his dates, and his statistics. For example, he used the names of seven officials to date specifically the baptism of Jesus and the beginning of his public ministry (Luke 3:1, 2). The more that archeologists dig into the sands of time ...

442. Martin Luther: the Shape of Grace

Sermon

Jerry L. Schmalemberger

... own ministries in the world. Consider the joy evidenced in our worship and our stewardship emphasis if we all believed in the wonderful gift of God’s grace as proclaimed by Martin Luther. Any congregation which could re-form into that shape again would double in size, minister to thousands around it, have an abundance of offerings to share, and probably be on the cover of Time magazine within the year. Put very bluntly, we have no right to use the name "protestant" in 1985 unless: We are deeply versed ...

443. John Calvin, God’s Man

Sermon

Jerry L. Schmalemberger

... We both understood: "awesome." God’s presence is awesome. Calvin helped us see that, and it is good that he did. I did find it hard to locate a Presbyterian or another Reformed Christian who still holds the Calvinistic view of what has been called "double predestination." Like Luther, Calvin held that God elects or chooses some to be saved. Paul wrote to the Romans: "... so those whom God set apart (predestines), he called; and those he called, he put right with himself, and he shared his glory with them ...

444. All Dressed Up and No Place To Go

Isaiah 61:1-11

Sermon

Thomas D. Peterson

... correspondingly elegant in their behavior. I remember that evening especially because it showed me that people do need, every now and then, to get all dressed up and go some place. Not long ago we held a dinner in our church for which we charged double our usual price for a meal. We dressed up the menu and the hall. People responded by coming all dressed up themselves. The whole atmosphere was upbeat - a lively spirit, heightened manners, quality food, and lovely decorations. It is important for us to get ...

445. The Remnant Year

Jeremiah 30:1--31:40

Sermon

Thomas D. Peterson

... of one-twentieth of a cent. But, when we take it to the store and invest more in it, it is worth anywhere from ten cents to a dollar. It is redeemed by the company for its highest value and not for its least. And, sometimes its value is doubled in the transaction. So it is that a meaningless item, when put into transaction with God, can be redeemed for surprising worth. This is what we pray God will do with the remnants of Christmas. Let us bring them forth and in the year ahead purchase life with them ...

446. Transfiguration

Mark 9:2-13, 2 Corinthians 4:1-18, 2 Kings 2:1-18

Bulletin Aid

Paul A. Laughlin

... Elisha toward an inheritance of his master’s authority and power. The connecting thread is Elisha’s persistence in his vow to accompany Elijah to the end (despite discouragement from both his older colleague and other prophets encountered along the way) and his receiving a "double measure" of Elijah’s spirit as a result. Call to Worship Leader: May the God who calls great men and women to service be with us this hour! People: MAY THE GOD WHO GRANTS AUTHORITY AND POWER TO MERE MORTALS BLESS US THIS DAY ...

447. The Parable of the Talents

Matthew 25:14-30

Sermon

Brett Blair

... on his journey. When he returned he called together his three servants and asked them to give an account. It seems that the five talent man had invested his talent and was able to return an additional five talents, a 100% return. So, too the two talent man doubles his money. Well, done good and faithful servant. “ But what about the one talent man? He stepped forward and said: Sir, I knew you to be a hard man, reaping where you did not sow. So he returned that which he had originally been given him. The ...

448. People Are Different, People Are The Same

Drama

Marge Passamaneck

... in the room. He handed David a gift. David took off the brightly decorated paper and found a baseball inside. DAVID: It’s perfect! SUSAN: We thought it would go with your new glove. It’s from both of us. DAVID: Gosh, thanks. I’ll practice my double play throw to first with it. NARRATOR: Then Mr. Jackson gathered everyone together in front of the wreathed window. He lit a big red candle and spoke of the birth of a baby many centuries ago. MR. JACKSON: The mother and father, Mary and Joseph, were just ...

449. What’s Going On in Your Orchard?

John 15:1-17

Sermon

Charles L. Koester

... patches of ice, then set the handles of their hunting knives down in the water which quickly hardens into ice again around the handles, until they are set as firmly as if they were placed in concrete. The blade of the knife is all that is visible, its double edge honed to razor sharpness. All about the ice fields, the Eskimos place their knives and tip them with the blood of seal or walrus, or even, for want of that, their own blood. Then they go home and wait. The wolf pack catches the scent. They gather ...

450. Mission Accomplished!

Luke 24:50-53

Sermon

Charles L. Koester

... , been made for us to inhabit. Once a day it turns around. Once per year it revolves around the sun. Night and day, cold and heat are thus precisely regulated. Our earth is tilted at 23 degrees so as it revolves, it gives us regular seasons, and doubles the area upon which human life can live. If it were as small as the moon, its gravitational force would not hold atmosphere or water. Extreme temperatures would not sustain human life. If the earth were as large as the sun, the gravity would be 150 times ...

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